The Masquerade
by Roseblade22
Summary: Prince Zuko reluctantly agrees to represent the royal family at his father's Royal Masquerade Ball. Zuko prepares to endure a torturous night, but when he encounters a disguised Katara at the ball, an unexpected romance will bloom. MERRY XMAS REVIEWERS!
1. The Entertainment Event of the Year

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Damn it!

_**MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY AWESOME REVIEWERS!**_

And Happy Holidays to all! Here is the new story I've promised you as a present! I've been excited to begin this story for a long time! I'll tell you exactly why—Imagine Avatar deliciously accented with our favorite pairing (ZUTARA!) with a dash of Phantom of the Opera mixed in. I'm not talking about crossover or Zuko-as-The-Phantom stuff, although that _would_ be really hot. _It will still be completely canon and in-character and will not interfere with any of my other projects, so don't worry!_ The only thing I've changed about the Avatarverse is the unfortunate fact that dancing seems to be taboo in the Fire Nation—you can't have a decent romantic masquerade ball without dancing! Enjoy my lovelies, and once more—Merry Christmas!

* * *

**::THE MASQUERADE::**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE: THE ENTERTAINMENT EVENT OF THE YEAR**

Zuko's face creased into a harsh scowl as he reacted to the news his father had just relayed to him. The crown Prince of the Fire Nation—the greatest empire on earth—hung his head low and cast his eyes towards the ground, clearly unhappy. The task that the Fire Lord had just assigned Zuko and his sister was nightmarish. He couldn't imagine a worse punishment—and he hadn't done anything wrong!

"Is anything wrong, Prince Zuko?" Fire Lord Ozai asked unknowingly, raising a disapproving eyebrow.

Azula, who was standing on her brother's right side, snickered darkly. "Oh, he's just being melodramatic, Father. Grow up, Zuzu."

"Grow up?" Zuko raised his head and extended a hand towards his sister, searching for the sympathy he knew she'd never award him. "Your asking me to dress up in some ridiculous costume, go to a formal ball, socialize with hundreds of people I don't know—and you're telling me to grow up? This is no more than an adult version of a game of dress-up tea party!"

"I don't think the Annual Royal Masquearade Ball is _that_ bad," Azula rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking tiredly at her brother.

"You're a _girl_," Zuko emphasized, poking an index finger into her face. Then he turned to his father. "Can't Azula do it alone? She actually _wants _to go."

The Fire Lord regarded his upset son, stroked his beard, and frowned. "No, Zuko. Participating in the Annual Masquerade is part of your duties as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. It's the entertainment event of the year for the highest orders of Fire Nation society. You and Azula are expected to represent the royal family there."

"Father, you've been putting on the ball for years. Why don't _you_ go?"

Ozai chuckled, but the sound was more unnerving than it was pleasant-sounding. "Zuko, don't be absurd. I only host the ball—it would be unsuitable for me to attend. That is why you and Azula are going in my place."

The Prince seethed and gritted his teeth. "But—"

"Prince Zuko, you will attend the Royal Masquerade with your sister. _That_ is an order." Ozai crossed his arms as he sat authoritatively atop his flame-wreathed throne. "The ball is in three days. Dismissed."

"But Father—"

"Prince Zuko, you are _dismissed_." The Fire Lord spat out the last word at his son. "Leave now."

Azula frowned and reached out to grab her brother's arm in an attempt to drag him out of the royal hall. However, Zuko wretched away from her grip. The Prince shot the Princess a nasty, very displeased look and stomped out of the door on his own. He was enraged. He _hated_ formal balls, and now he was being unfairly forced to attend one. The awkward, uncomfortable dancing, the socializing with snobby socialites, the ridiculous notion of respectable figureheads of Fire Nation society dressing up like children—he hated everything about them. As he struggled to control his temper, his sister caught up with him.

"Oh, don't fret so much, Zuzu," she said teasingly, using his wretched nickname. "I don't think it will be half as bad as you think it will be."

"Well, you're wrong," replied the Prince, glancing with dagger-like eyes as his sister. "This is stupid. We're the Fire Prince and Princess—we shouldn't be reduced to this."

"Relax—you're not under any pressure to perform. Remember, it's a masquerade," the Princess reminded him. "That means everyone's going to wear masks. No one will know we are."

"I don't care."

Azula raised a pointed finger, and an idea brightened her eyes. "I know," she said dramatically. "Why don't you ask Mai to come with you? If she's with you perhaps you'll enjoy it more."

Zuko scoffed at the idea at first, and he retreated a few steps to lean against a nearby pillar. His eyes flashed uncertainly from an unknown point on the marbled palace floor, to his sister, then back again. He thought about the possibility of Mai attending the ball with him. It would still be unpleasant, but if he brought his girlfriend then at least he'd have someone to talk to—or maybe even dance with. He turned back to Azula and sighed, feeling his tensions ease a bit.

"Fine," he announced. "I'll ask Mai to go with me. But do you even think she'll want to?"

Azula smiled her familiar, malicious grin and waved a hand casually, as if she were swatting away Zuko's question like a pesky fly. "Oh, don't be silly, Zuko." She said. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

* * *

"What? Are you kidding?"

Zuko blinked in shock as his girlfriend shot him a glance as bright and sharp as a knife. She stormed a few steps away, then whirled round, her long robes flowing around her, her hands clenched tightly into fists. This was not what he expected.

"What—you don't want to go? I thought girls liked formal balls and dressing up!" the Prince replied clumsily, stretching his arms out in a confused gesture.

"Maybe stupid girls like those things—dressing up in hideous costumes and dancing—" the girl visibly retched at the thought. "I wouldn't be caught dead at the masquearade. I don't even know _why_ you want to go."

"I don't!" Zuko shouted, stomping his feet into the floor for good measure. "But my father is forcing me to attend. I just figured that it would be less torturous if you came along with me."

"Why didn't you just tell him that you didn't want to do it?" Mai inquired, lowering her eyebrows and gazing at him intently.

The Prince sighed in exasperation. "I tried, Mai! But he ordered me to go to the ball. I couldn't say no. Not after all that's happened—not after I'd just earned back his approval."

"Well, then you've dug your own hole and you have stay in it. I'm not joining you."

"But—Mai—"

"Just drop it Zuko! There's nothing you can either do or say to get me to go, and that's that. Just accept it, okay?"

Zuko's hurt expression hardened, and a frustrated, angry scowl crossed his face. First his father, then his rotten, conniving sister, and now Mai was becoming insensitive to his feelings? He cursed the day in Fire Nation history that a horrid thing like a masquerade had been invented.

"Fine," he spat cruelly, and he turned to go, halfway expecting his girlfriend to chase after him and ask him not to leave. But as the Prince's feet dragged him stomp-by-stomp towards the door, he slowly realized that Mai wasn't going to do that. She was far too stubborn and proud—just like him. And like him, she'd sooner set herself on fire than be caught dead at such a stupid, pointless, and foolish social event.

However, unlike Mai, Zuko had his father's orders to follow. Sighing heavily, he resigned himself to the grim inevitability that he would be attending the dreaded Royal Masquerade alone. Well, besides Azula's company—but she'd most likely abandon him anyway. She'd enjoy watching him flounder, unable to keep himself afloat in an awkward social situation, embarrassing himself. Zuko sighed for what seemed the millionth time today.

_It's only one night, _the Prince rationalized as he exited Mai's home and huffed his way onto the palatine waiting for him in the courtyard. _I'll only have to endure this torture for one night._

Even so, as the palatine lifted and began to carry him back to his elegant, bejeweled palace, Prince Zuko hoped and prayed to the spirits that he'd somehow wake up from this nightmare.

_Only one night._

* * *

"One night only!"

Sokka heard his little sister squeal in delight as she pressed herself to the wall on which the large, colorful flyer was posted. He, Katara, Toph, and Aang had ventured out into the city in order to find more food and supplies to make surviving in the outdoors a little more comfortable—and now they were being held up because Katara spotted some silly flyer for—what was it again?

"What's she getting all excited about?" The Water Tribe boy asked his friends, turning to each of them and blinking in frustration.

Toph shrugged and rolled her pale, sightless eyes. "Beats me. Blind—remember?"

Aang crept forward and managed to pry Katara away from the poster long enough to take a good look at it himself. Sokka watched as the boy's expression suddenly brightened. "Actually, you should look at this yourself, Sokka," the Avatar called him over. "It does seem pretty exciting!"

Sokka rolled his eyes, sauntered over, and stared, unimpressed, at the advertisement. In elegant, crimson calligraphy accented with pictures of lilies and leaves sprouting from its edges, and surrounding a portrait of two gorgeously dressed Fire Nation couples dancing, the poster announced loudly to the world:

_FIRE LORD OZAI PRESENTS THE ENTERTAINMENT EVENT OF THE YEAR: THE ANNUAL ROYAL MASQUERADE BALL!_

_THIS YEAR'S THEME FOR COUPLES: OPPOSITE ELEMENTS!_

_WITH LIVE MUSIC FROM THE EMPIRAL PROCESSIONAL BAND AND ACCLAIMED SINGER YURI AMAYURI!_

Then, in smaller print down at the bottom of the poster:

_Tickets available by request through messenger hawk. Address hawk to Mao Lin: Fire Nation Palace Entertainment Coordinator along with number of tickets requested and a payment of 45 gold pieces per ticket requested. Tickets awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis based on availability._

"Oh, Sokka! Can we go? I've always wanted to go to a royal ball!" The Water Tribe boy glanced again at his sister, whose blue eyes were as large as saucers and sparkling as if she were floating in some whimsical dreamland. He frowned and shook his head disapprovingly.

"Royal ball? What are you guys talking about?" Toph cut in, stomping her way over to them and clearly confused.

Sokka ignored the tiny earthbender for now, and chose instead to address his sister. "Katara, can't you read? It's the Fire Lord's ball! Don't you think it would be just a little risky for us to attend a masquerade held in the Fire Nation royal palace?" The young warrior placed his hands on his hips and waited for his sister's inevitable protest.

"Sokka, look around. We're out in public in the Fire Nation every day, and no one's ever suspected anything," Katara explained, resorting to rationality in order to persuade her older brother. "I think we'll be fine."

The girl flipped her curly, wild hair over her shoulder confidently. "Besides, it's a _masquerade._ You know what that means, genius? Everyone has to wear a mask! We'd be perfectly safe."

"You guys want to play dress up and dance around like a bunch of sissy-ninnies?" Toph scoffed and crossed her arms. "Count me out!"

Then Aang raised a hand. "Actually guys, I think attending the masquerade would be a great idea."

Sokka's eyebrows raised. "Are you serious? It is _not_ a good idea!"

"It could be just like my experience in the Fire Nation school," Aang persisted, stretching out his arms towards his friends in an attempt to persuade them. "We've been given an opportunity to access the Fire Lord's Palace before the Day of Black Sun. If we went, we could see it for ourselves and be able to better prepare and plan for the Invasion. Sokka—who needs a map of the Fire Nation Palace City after you've seen it for yourself? It's the chance of a lifetime!"

Sokka was taken aback, and he blinked while he processed the airbender's proposal. "I…I knew that—I'm just saying—we have to be careful."

"You didn't know that!" Katara poked her brother in the chest. "Give Aang some credit."

"Okay!" Sokka held up his hands dramatically. "Aang—that's a good idea, but think about the risks! If someone recognizes you, there won't be anywhere to run."

"Like I said before," Katara chimed in, swaying her hips to one side and placing a hand on her hip. "We'll be wearing masks, so no one's going to recognize us."

Aang and the waterbender exchanged supportive smiles, and Sokka sighed. "Okay—so it's a good idea and worth the risk. But it says that each individual ticket costs 45 gold pieces—"

"—and you guys will need to buy costumes," Toph injected.

"Exactly!" Sokka shouted. "Where are we supposed to get that kind of money? The ball's in three days!"

Katara, Aang, and Toph all suddenly fell silent, and Sokka watched as his sister turned away thoughtfully, one hand delicately tucked up under her chin. Her blue eyes darted from the poster on the wall to the cobblestone street, and back again. Then her eyes brightened in excitement and a smile blossomed on her face.

"Why don't we have Toph pull some of those earthbending pranks again?" She suggested excitedly, leaning down to wrap her arm around the tiny earthbender's shoulders. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Toph?"

The other girl shook off the waterbender's arm. "Not really, considering what happened last time you and I tried to pull a scam."

Katara frowned, recalling their terrifying episode imprisoned in a wooden cell and Combustion Man persuing them relentlessly. Still—she really, really, _really _wanted to attend a royal ball. It had been something she'd dreamt of since she was a little girl—to twirl gracefully around a gigantic dance floor, wrapped elegantly in the finest silk garments—and to be watched and admired by hundreds of others. She glanced unhappily at her brother. It was mean of him to try to crush her childhood dream, even during this tense time before the Day of Black Sun. However, Aang had an excellent point—attending the ball would give them an invaluable opportunity to investigate the Fire Nation Palace in detail before the critical battle—it would give their small invasion the advantage it desperately needed. Pleadingly, the waterbender stretched her arms out towards the unsympathetic earthbender.

"Toph, please?" she asked. "This is our one and only chance to get inside the Fire Nation Palace, to see how it operates and how we can easily invade it!"

"You just want to go so you can wear a stupid, floaty dress and dance with all the cute boys," Toph replied with a smirk.

Katara reeled back and blinked in embarrassment. "No, I want to help the Invasion!" She protested.

"I can tell you're lying…"

"I'm not lying!"

"Okay, but I can still tell you want to go just because of the dress-up-and-dance part."

"You—argh!"

Sokka grabbed each of the girls and stepped between them before they forgot where they were and attempted to out-bend each other in front of a throng of Fire Nation citizens. "Okay, listen!" he told them all seriously. "I'm beginning to agree with Aang. This is the chance of a lifetime, and since I know Katara will never forgive me if I don't let her go—so Toph, even though our last string of scams turned out badly, would you for the sake of the Invasion?"

The little earthbender's brow furrowed into a frown. "Now you're taking Sugar Queen's side? Traitor!"

"Toph, please—it's for the greater good," Aang pressed.

Gradually, the earthbending girl's stubbornness was worn down and she agreed. "Fine, we'll do a few more pranks. But on one condition—I'm not going to the ball. There's no way you're squeezing me into some stupid, floozy costume. I'm sick of that stuff."

Katara squealed again with delight and rushed forward to award the other girl with a tight embrace. "Thanks, Toph! You're the best!"

Toph rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

"So it's settled then," Sokka concluded, smiling at the rest of his group. "We'll begin scamming today. As soon as we have enough money, we'll send a messenger hawk for our tickets and take it from there. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Aang confirmed as the rest of the gang nodded.

Sokka's grin grew wider, spreading across his face goofily. Despite his initial doubts, he was beginning to really like this idea of attending the Royal Masquerade Ball. Who knows? It could not only turn out to be a great opportunity but a great time as well.

"Great!" He exclaimed, pumping up his fist in an enthused, excited gesture towards the others. "Team Avatar—prepare to have a _ball_!"

* * *

_**PERSONAL THINGY:**_

So there you have it. I have set the stage for what's sure to become a truly exciting Avatar adventure. Not much Zutara-goodness yet, but it will come! I hope you enjoyed! Now go to the bottom of the page and click that little button that says "Review This Chapter!" REVIEW!

**Merry Christmas!**


	2. Playing DressUp

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Wish I did though! I'd make some pretty interesting things happen!

_**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!!! EVERYONE READ THIS!!!**_

Hello everyone! First of all, let me apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I'd intended to have it up this last weekend, but as it turned out it was a pretty eventful weekend. I have some pretty once-in-a-lifetime news to share with you all:

_**My boyfriend of three years proposed!!! I'm engaged!!! GAAAAHH!! **_

My boyfriend and I had a date on Saturday, and he proposed classically and romantically, at the restaurant. I love my ring and I love my fiancé; we're planning to get married sometime during spring of next year. I'm so excited! So, anyway—that's the reason this chapter is late—because I've been busy enjoying myself with my new fiancé and spreading the joyous news. Sorry to have kept you guys waiting! Now please—read—and _**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**_

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**CHAPTER TWO: PLAYING DRESS UP**

* * *

The Crown Prince of the Fire Nation sulked miserably in front of his dressing room mirror, hardly working up the will to even glance at his own reflection. Despite his endless prayers, his nightmare was continuing.

Today, he and his sister were being fit for their costumes for the Masquerade Ball. This year's theme was another classic cliché: "Opposite Elements." Azula had cruelly joked earlier that she and Zuko merely needed to show up as themselves and they would suit the theme perfectly.

"It makes perfect sense," she'd explained earlier. "I'm smart, skilled, and have perfect skin. And you're—well—you!" And then she'd tumbled into a fit of wicked laughter.

He'd simply scowled to hide how deeply her words cut him. He hated this. He hated being forced to do something he hated while Azula treated it as if his torment was entertaining to her. Which, he realized suddenly, it probably was. Sighing, he waited patiently for the seamstresses to finish layering fabric on top of his body—wrapping it, pinning it, and measuring feverishly. Azula was busy thoroughly enjoying the experience in a mirror next to his. Her red lips curved upward as she smiled into the mirror, revealing two perfect rows of flawless white teeth. She swept her loose hair back, and outstretched her arms as the seamstresses hurried around her own costume—an elegant, long gown made of the rarest, finest silk dyed to match the color of the blackest night.

Zuko hadn't been surprised to discover that Azula had decided to attend the ball dressed perfectly as War. Her gown was reminiscent of the traditional kimono robes worn at Fire Nation weddings, aside from the color. It had been exquisitely dyed the darkest shade of black, but the color faded and was replaced by a deep, blood-red hue towards the hem as the dress dropped gracefully down to the floor. The garment's lining was a matching blood-red shade. The long, wide sleeves dropped straight back when Azula relaxed her arms at her sides, nearly reaching the ground, and the gown featured a crimson train that swept behind her elegantly when she walked. Around her neck she wrapped a pelt of thick, black, luxurious fur.

Over the gorgeous outfit the Princess wore a set of antiqued armor. The aged steel breastplate was made especially to fit her feminine form and—suitable to her choice to attend the ball as the physical embodiment of War—had been treated so it looked as if the armor had actually been through battle. There were small patches of rust, scratches, and nicks blemishing the smooth metal surface. Flaring about her shoulders was a pair of thin, square shoulder guards adorned with deadly-looking spikes, and tucked into a thick, blood-red obi belt around her waist was a pair of swords. Also hanging around her waist was a very realistic-looking skull carved delicately from ivory. Azula's half-mask, also carved from ivory, resembled a human skull lacking a jaw bone, and was elaborately decorated with thousands of glittering, red crystals set carefully on its polished surface.

The most unusual part of Azula's costume was the addition of wings. She had a small pair of black wings attached to her back, she carried a fan to match, and her hair was adorned with several long, black feathers poking out and curling in back of her head. As he regarded her, Zuko remarked to himself about how strange, intimidating—even downright frightening— she looked, but for some reason, she didn't look silly. The character of War suited his sister flawlessly.

His costume situation was another matter entirely. When Azula had suggested that Zuko be her opposite, and showed her a composite of what she wanted the costume of Peace—the opposite of War—to look like, Zuko adamantly refused. The garment was constructed out of the brightest, purest shade of white, with shades of light blue at the hems. It was draped in a fashion that Zuko recognized as a style that was characteristic of the robes worn by the Nomad monks. Not only did Zuko hate the look of the costume, but he knew he'd be snickered at wearing it—while Azula paraded about in her own elaborate, violent-looking attire. So he had commissioned the royal seamstress to design him a less humiliating, more sensible outfit.

Zuko glanced down at his costume. He was wearing a long, red robe spun out of a luxurious blend of silk that actually had gold fibers woven into the fabric. The metallic fibers gave the material a sort of luminous golden sheen. Atop his silken layer Zuko wore a unique suit of armor fit for a Prince. It was entirely covered in a thin layer of beaten, glittering gold. The suit was constructed differently than a normal Fire Nation armor. This piece was made to look beautiful, while others were made to be practical. And while standard armor was made from a few key pieces, this suit was assembled from dozens of different pieces; each section was forged to look like a single wisp of flame. The small, delicately curved shapes fitted together perfectly, flexing with his every move and mimicking the nature of a fire. Zuko's shoulder guards were layered in three, large, flared pieces like the tips of a blazing inferno. Gauntlets of elegantly curled and sharpened metal—plated with gold—wrapped elegantly around his forearms. His breastplate was brilliantly gleaming, representing the heart of the eternal flame from which firebenders drew their power:

The Sun.

Completing Zuko's costume was a half-mask created to match his suit of armor. Eight thin, gold-plated, and delicately molded pieces of steel were expertly fused together, each piece carefully cast to fit the Prince's face perfectly. Each piece swept gracefully back over his brow, forming a sort of gilded helmet atop his head. Zuko's eyes flickered up to glimpse his own reflection in the mirror, and his mask glinted in the light—it was as if his very head was crowned with a halo of flame.

"You know," he suddenly heard Azula remark. "You don't make a half-bad Sun."

The Princess fluffed her hair as she stood next to her brother, looking into the mirror and admiring herself. Then she raised an eyebrow and turned towards Zuko, sweeping the voluminous sleeves of her costume behind her arms. "But I still think that you could have thought of something more original."

Zuko hesitated to answer, but glanced at himself again in the mirror. His armor gleamed radiantly in the light, casting a sort of golden aura around him. "And I think you could have thought of something even more terrifying," he replied with a bite of sarcasm in his voice.

His sister smiled wickedly. "I know," she gushed excitedly. "Isn't it great?"

The Prince rolled his eyes and looked at himself again. He had to admit—despite his initial hatred of dressing in costumes, he was beginning to enjoy the way he looked in his. He was like some sort of gilded warrior from an ancient, unknown time.

_I actually don't recognize myself,_ Zuko thought.

He reached up and brushed the golden mask that covered the upper half of his face. It covered his identity, even his scar. He wouldn't be recognized at the masquerade.

Zuko wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

* * *

"Okay, is everyone ready?"

"Almost, Sokka! Just give me one more minute."

"You've already had—like—fifteen minutes, Katara! How long does it take to put on a single costume?"

Toph sat outside the dressing rooms, bored out of her mind. What fun was it to go costume shopping, with the others marveling over the appearance of the various costumes, when she couldn't even see them?

For an entire day, Toph, Sokka, Aang, and Katara had put all their effort into conducting various scams around the nearby towns in order to collect enough money to purchase tickets and costumes. Together they'd managed to accumulate more money than they needed—an amazing 900 gold pieces in all! Toph was proud of her work, but ultimately disappointed that all her hard-earned cash was going to be spent on tickets for a lousy dance and silly costumes.

Yesterday they'd arranged to send a messenger hawk to the address printed on the poster advertising the Fire Lord's Royal Masquerade Ball, and this morning they'd received their reply—three tickets, stamped with the golden seal of the Fire Lord, and a printed letter congratulating and welcoming them to the event. Of course, Toph haddn't been able to read it, but Katara had read it for her, growing more and more excited as she went on:

"Congratulations on your success obtaining tickets to his majesty The Fire Lord's Annual Royal Masquerade Ball!" The waterbender had recited as she held the piece of parchment in her hands. "The Fire Lord and his family welcome you to celebrate a night of music, dancing, and disguise at their home on the night of June 3rd. Please promptly arrive at the Fire Nation Palace at eight o' clock in the evening. The Entertainment Coordinator of the Masquerade kindly reminds you to arrive in full costume and with tickets in hand. Once more, a happy, heartfelt welcome and congratulations to the lucky recipients of this message!"

Naturally, Katara was insanely determined on going shopping as soon as possible for their costumes for the masquerade. They'd ventured to a larger city, closer to the capital city of the Fire Nation, and had picked one of the most luxurious shops in the shopping district. The costumes here were elaborately and exquisitely made—and their price tags matched. Still, due to their success scamming in other Fire Nation towns, the teens had more than enough money to afford three costumes.

Toph was just along for the ride, sulking miserably on a stool outside the shop dressing rooms. She sighed as Sokka, Katara, and Aang continued to bicker from behind the dressing room curtains.

"Okay! I'm ready! Is everyone else ready?" Katara asked excitedly.

Sokka poked only his head out from behind the curtain, blinked at Toph, and then looked to either side towards the other dressing rooms. "We have been for ten minutes already!" he exclaimed impatiently.

"Sokka!" Katara protested from Sokka's left.

"Alright—stop arguing. Let's all step out on the count of three, okay?" That was Aang, on the right—always the peacemaker.

After a short pause, Katara's dressing-room door ruffled lightly, and she spoke: "Okay."

"Finally!" Sokka rolled his eyes and pulled his head back inside his dressing room.

"One…two…three!"

Toph heard the ruffles of all three dressing-room curtains being swept back, but she rolled her eyes and rested her head in her hands. "You guys are embarrassing," she remarked.

The others ignored the grumpy earthbender's comments. Instead, they all stepped out of their dressing rooms in unison, and began to gape and gawk at each other's costumes.

"Katara—you look great!" Aang exclaimed, his eyes widened in awe.

Katara glanced down at herself and blushed slightly. She wore a gorgeous purple gown, with elegant silver and gold embroidery adorning the neckline and the sleeves. Jewels dripped from her neck and embellished the front of the dress. In addition, she wore chains upon chains of the most elegant jewelry many of them had ever seen, and a small, glittering tiara sat delicately atop your head. Her mask was also ornamented with precious metals and jewels, and into it an elaborately carved visage of a female face could be seen.

"Thanks, Aang," replied the waterbender warmly, peeking out and smiling from behind her mask. "Yours looks—well, it looks authentic too!"

Aang looked down a little less enthusiastically at his costume. He was wearing various layers of ragged, ripped silk that had been stained brownish-red with age and neglect. Atop his head he wore a tattered, floppy hat to hide his arrow, and his mask also carried the facade of a human face, but this face was sadder, and carved from plain, unadorned wood.

"Thanks…" Aang replied uncertainly. "Well—at least we match."

Sokka's eyes darted, unimpressed from his sister to the Avatar. "Great. So—what are you two supposed to be again?"

"Well, the theme of the masquerade is 'Opposite Elements,' right?" Katara said, playfully twirling in her skirt. "I'm a Princess, and Aang's a Pauper. We're opposites!"

"I guess that makes sense." Sokka said, stroking his chin.

Aang giggled and pointed at the older boy. "Speaking of costumes, what on earth are _you_ supposed to be, Sokka?"

The young Water Tribe warrior made a face, and then pulled out his mask and shoved it forward. Katara and Aang blinked at it, confused. One side was completely white, the other jet black. On either side there was an opposing carving of a human face, just like on the others' masks. The face on the white side was upturned into a pleasant smile, but the face on the other side was contorted into a horrible frown. His outfit matched his mask—one half of his body was white, the other black. It was as if Sokka were split into two. The two benders shot baffled glimpses at each other, and then turned back to the young warrior.

"Uh, Sokka? What _are_ you supposed to be?" Katara asked, reaching out and poking the boy's bi-colored chest.

Sokka rolled his eyes and leaned forward, slumping in his misery. Then he jumped back up, his face displaying his frustration clearly. He wildly waved his mask in front of the others' faces.

"I'm my _own_ opposite!" he cried, irritated. He pointed to one side of his mask, and then the other. "See? Happy! Sad! Get it?"

This time, Katara and Aang burst into a fit of laughter. Katara laughed so hard she had to sit down next to Toph and clamp a hand over her mouth in order to quiet herself. While Aang doubled over, Sokka glared at all of them.

"What?! What?!" he insisted.

Katara pointed again to his costume. "You have to admit, Sokka—you look pretty funny."

The older boy sulked. "Only one side of me," he muttered, then he stayed quiet.

"Well, I think you all look ridiculous," Toph cut in, her trademark smirk firmly in place. "Of course, that's must my assumption."

"I think we look great," Katara replied, spreading her skirts and looking down once more. "We should definitely wear these costumes to the dan—"

The waterbender suddenly paused, her jaw dropping in shock and her eyes blinking in disbelief. Immediately, Aang and Sokka snapped their heads around, alert and ready to apprehend whatever threat Katara had spotted. But neither of the boys saw anything, and Toph was oblivious as well.

"Uh, Katara?" The tiny earthbender inquired. When she heard nothing from the other girl, she addressed the boys. "Is she going to finish her sentence, or did the spirits suddenly bless me and take away her ability to speak?"

Katara whirled around and shot a dagger-like glare at Toph. "Hey!"

"Crap," the earthbender moped in her seat.

Aang and Sokka's eyes were still darting around the shop, until Aang turned back towards the girls. "Katara? What was it? What did you see?"

The waterbender forgot Toph's insults and spun back around, pointing to a corner of the shop with excited, sparkling eyes. "Look!"

The two boys turned and looked. In the corner, adorning a modest wooden mannequin was a gorgeous silver-blue silken gown. The dress featured a low collar decorated with a white fur pelt that hung below the shoulders. Extending below the fur, a shining, almost metallic blue silk flowed below, the hem cut at an asymmetrical angle and also decorated with a thick fur lining, exposing a darker blue, pleated skirt underneath. The sleeves of the garment were amazing—Katara gasped in delight as she regarded them—and constructed from two layers. The first layer was made of the same metallic, blue material and was split down the middle, allowing the heavy fabric to drop straight down from the shoulders. The hems gently brushed the ground. The second layer of sleeve was made from the same dark blue fabric as the exposed underskirt, and they extended past the knees. About the waist of the gown was a gorgeously forged silver girdle that clenched the waist, embellished with delicately carved patterns on the metal surface, and tied over it was a silver obi belt adorned with a large, crescent-shaped pin. A half-mask made from beaten silver and adorned with glittering white crystals and a delicate relief pattern completed the magnificent, elaborate outfit perfectly.

"Oh," Sokka narrowed his eyes, clearly unmoved by the gorgeous costume. "Of course."

Katara held her hands in front of her mouth, tempted to squeal in excitement. She joyfully skipped over to the mannequin and began to ogle the outfit with wanton eyes. Aang shrugged and chased after her, followed closely by Sokka and Toph. They all watched silently as the waterbender celebrated her discovery of the costume.

"This is the most beautiful costume I've ever seen!" She gushed uncontrollably. "Look at these sleeves! And this metal girdle! And the fur around the collar!"

Sokka frowned and smacked himself in the forehead with his palm. He hated to admit it, but sometimes he missed the anger-ridden, warrior Katara. This girly-girl version of his sister was really flighty and irritating sometimes.

Suddenly another figure appeared beside the three teenagers. The shop keeper smiled widely, showing a row of slightly crooked teeth proudly, and pushed his way through the group towards Katara.

"It's a lovely costume, isn't it?" He remarked to the waterbender. "It's made from the very finest silk on the mainland."

Katara's eyes grew wider and she grinned as she looked over the costume once again. "Yes, it's exquisitely beautiful. But what is it a costume of? It reminds me of the gowns people where in the Water Tribes."

The shop keeper raised a quizzical eyebrow while Sokka silently panicked behind him. "Really?" inquired the shop keep. "Have you spent time with the Water Tribe Nations?"

Katara tried to hide the nervousness in her laughter. "No—we're all from the Earth Kingdom colonies. But we've heard stories and seen drawings of the Water Tribe people."

That explanation seemed to satisfy the man, and he transferred the conversation back to the garment. "Ah—I see! Well, to answer your question—this exquisite costume is an interpretation of the Moon."

The others watched as Katara's mouth slowly formed into a perfect "O." The girl was clearly enchanted by the dress before, but hearing that it was a costume representing the Moon made her instantly fall in love with it. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and swooned.

"This blue silk is one of the most expensive fabrics available in the Fire Nation," continued the shop keeper in an effort to further impress the girl. "If you look closely you'll see tiny metallic threads woven into the material—these are actual fibers made from real silver. They give the fabric a metallic sheen, as well as a heavenly quality."

Katara's eyelashes fluttered dreamily. "Wow…"

"In addition, the girdle attractively showcases a young woman's waist. It's made from lightweight metal and leather plated with silver leaf. The mask is also constructed from silver, and features hundreds of real crystals—imported from the mines in the Earth Kingdom—inlaid into its reflective surface."

"Oh…it's the most beautiful gown I've ever seen," Katara marveled.

"Perfectly suited for a pretty young lady like yourself," replied the shop keeper slyly. "Would you like to try it on?"

"Oh, I'd love to, but I don't know if I could even afford it," said Katara hesitantly. Then, more hopefully: "How much is it?"

"Let's see—this one is four hundred gold pieces," said the shop keep proudly.

Sokka's jaw dropped to the ground, and he dramatically waved his arms above his head in two wildly rotating circles. "Four hundred gold pieces!? Katara---that's more than _half_ of what he we have left over after the tickets!"

"Tickets?" the shop keeper wondered, and then he smiled and nodded to himself. "Ah—I see! You are attending the Fire Lord's Masquerade Ball, aren't you?"

Katara nodded enthusiastically. "That's right!"

The shop keeper inched behind the gown and held out one of its long, elegant sleeves appealingly. "Well, you're sure to be the Belle of the Ball in this costume! Are you still interested in trying it on?"

As Katara's eyes grew as large and round as saucers, but Sokka jumped forward. "Katara! Didn't you hear me? That dress costs _four hundred_ gold pieces! It's not practical!"

The waterbender frowned at her brother, then rolled her eyes. "I'm only going to try it on, Sokka. That's it."

The shop keeper's face sprung into a wide grin, and he gently picked up the mannequin and gestured for Katara to follow him towards the dressing rooms. Sokka watched his sister and the shop keep march past and then gritted his teeth. Then he felt Aang's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Sokka—she's already got a costume she likes," said the Avatar. "Maybe she'll decide to stay a Princess."

The Water Tribe boy heard Toph chuckle behind him. "Yeah, like that's going to happen."

"Come on, Sokka," Aang urged. "Let's just sit by the dressing rooms and wait."

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sokka asked fifteen minutes later. He, Aang, and Toph all sulked on stools outside Katara's dressing room. The Water Tribe boy bitterly crossed his arms and legs, twisting himself into a miserable pretzel. "How can it take this long to put on one outfit?"

"Sokka, will you stop it already?" replied the voice of Katara from beyond the ruffling curtain. "There's a lot of layers—it takes time!"

"Fine," Sokka answered, then paused for only a moment before turning back. "What about now?"

"No, Sokka!"

The young warrior groaned miserably, and buried his face in his hands. Aang frowned and then placed a comforting hand on Sokka's shoulder. He glanced towards the dressing room curtain, which ruffled softly as the waterbender moved behind it. He was looking forward to seeing what Katara looked like in the new Moon costume, but also disappointed that she was choosing a new costume when the first had been a match to his. Shyly, the young Avatar turned and smiled at the shop keeper, who was standing nearby.

"You said that costume was of the Moon, right sir?" Aang asked politely.

The shop keeper nodded. "That's correct, young man."

"Well…do you have a costume to match? The theme of this years ball is 'Opposite Elements.'"

"Well, I suppose the opposite of the Moon would be the Sun," the man thought, rubbing his chin with his hand. "But unfortunately I don't have any Sun costumes in my shop. I'm sorry."

Aang's hopeful face drooped. "Oh…that's—that's okay. Thanks anyway."

Finally, Katara's head poked out from behind the dressing room curtain. She was grinning so wide that her smile practically split her face into two halves. "Okay, I'm ready! Are you guys ready to see?"

"I am!" declared Aang enthusiastically, jumping up from his seat next to the less-enthused Sokka and Toph. "Come on, Katara—show us!"

"Alright," Katara replied happily, and with a flick of her wrist she swept back the curtain and stepped out into the light.

Aang, Sokka, and the shop keeper all gasped, their voices temporarily stolen away. Aang gained his back first, but recovered clumsily. "Gosh, Katara—you look so good in that!" he exclaimed excitedly, smiling as his voice quivered.

"Thanks, Aang."

Sokka swallowed heavily. Despite his earlier protest of Katara even considering trying on the gown, she looked gorgeous in it. The problem was—Katara knew it. The young Water Tribe teen watched, growing more anxious as the waterbender twirled and admired herself in front of a nearby mirror. She turned back to the group and was beaming uncontrollably. Sokka stared at her as she approached him and wrung her hands in a dramatic, desperate display.

"Sokka—it's perfect! It's the dress I always wanted! Can I get it please?" Katara begged passionately, making her best little-sister faces at her older brother. "I know it's a lot of money, but we can still afford the other two costumes even if we get it."

"We just won't have any money left for anything we _actually_ need," grumbled Toph unhappily.

Katara regarded the tiny earthbender with a frown. "Toph, you can rest assured that your money is being put to good use."

"Right—that makes me feel all better," replied the earthbender, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She huffed and turned the other way.

Katara turned her efforts back to her brother. "Please, Sokka? Pretty please?"

Sokka turned his head towards the shop keeper, who was watching him like a vulture watches a weak animal about to die. He cast his eyes on Aang, who smiled and shrugged at him. Then he turned back towards Katara, who was still casting him that hopeful smile and wringing her hands. Finally, the young warrior groaned in defeat.

"Fine!" he exclaimed, beaten down by the powers of persuasion. "Get the stupid Moon costume, Katara! If it makes you happy, then we'll get it."

Katara squealed in delight and embraced him heartily, squeezing the boy to the point where he almost couldn't breath. "Oh, thank you, Sokka! I won't ask you for anything every again! Thank you!"

"Ah—oxygen becoming—an issue—here—Katara!" Sokka gasped, and finally the waterbender released him. She shot her brother yet another excited smile and then stepped back into the dressing room, closing the curtain behind her.

The pleased shop keeper walked towards the others with a pleasant, satisfied smile on his face. He bowed in Sokka's direction. "You are a very generous boyfriend," he remarked, and Toph and Aang nearly tumbled to the ground with laughter.

Sokka glared at the shop keeper. "Thanks," he muttered, highly annoyed. "But I'm her brother."

Suddenly Katara appeared in her normal Fire Nation garb, with the dresses and accessories carefully folded in her arms. "But he's still generous," she gushed, brushing the garment lovingly with her fingertips. "Thanks again, Sokka."

"Right. You're welcome, Katara."

"Are you all ready to buy?" asked the shop keeper eagerly, gesturing towards the front of the store. "Please, come this way."

At the counter, the shop keeper quickly rang up the total number of gold pieces that the three costumes would cost the group. Katara wouldn't stop smiling, and glancing at her, Sokka couldn't help but smile as well. Secretly, he was pretty glad he'd made his sister happy, whatever it cost him.

"The total payment due is 745 gold pieces," said the shop keeper happily.

Secretly, the thought that he was glad for making his sister happy—whatever it cost him—slowly slipped away as he reluctantly handed the man a sack full of money. They waited patiently until the man had counted it, then turned to leave the shop. It was getting late, and now they had to figure out how to get dinner with hardly any money left. Suddenly, however, just as the group was about to step out the door, the shop keeper stopped them.

"Wait!" he cried, and the bender spun around expecting some sort of accusation or fight. But the shop keeper still had a friendly smile on his face. "I've forgotten something."

Katara looked hesitantly at the others and then stepped back inside. "What is it?"

The shop keeper held up one finger and then leaned below the shop counter. He fussed around a bit, and the group couldn't see what he was doing, but then suddenly reappeared holding a necklace made of brilliantly sparkling, glittering white jewels. "I forgot to give you this," he explained. "This necklace is the last piece of the Moon costume you picked out."

Katara stepped forward, reached out her hand to touch the dangling crystals on the necklace. "Wow—it's even more stunning than the gown!" she exclaimed.

The shop keeper nodded. "These crystals are very special—and very rare. They come from a single mine in the Earth Kingdom where there was a meteor shower long ago. The rock from the meteors was buried and compressed for thousands of years, then heated up by a nearby volcano. They formed these priceless jewels. They match the gown because they come from the heavens—just like the Moon. I keep them off the mannequin because I was afraid someone will steal them. I'm glad I remembered in time!"

"Thank you so much!" exclaimed an even more delighted Katara.

"Here, I will package them for your journey home."

"Thank you!"

Katara gently received the package from the shop keeper and then ran out the door to meet the others. She beamed yet another bright smile at them, and then joined them without another word.

"Well, I'm glad she's happy," Sokka muttered under his breath as the four of them made their way slowly home, with Katara practically skipping and humming happily the entire way, and clutching her costume packages to her chest.

Toph turned towards him and smiled. "And _I'm_ happy the shopping is over."

* * *

**PERSONAL THINGY:**

Well, that was a pretty long chapter. I hope you guys liked the descriptions of the costumes. I tried to articulate the images I had etched into my mind. I even drew pictures of them. Again, sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up! Thanks for being so patient! Reviewer Responses are below:

**NorthernLights25:** Hey there my friend! Thank you so much for being the first to review my newest story! I'm glad you liked the first chapter and I'm hoping you enjoyed the second just as much! And—as always—thanks for your support and constant kind compliments! I appreciate you so much! Thanks again!

**Doctor Anthony:** Thanks for the review—but it's not a one-shot! There's still more! Thanks for your compliments though, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last!

**Misunderstood94:** Thank you for your gracious compliments and your kind review! It's wonderful to hear that the last chapter was a good "builder-upper" and that you're looking forward to the Zutaraness yet to commence! This chapter was similar—but Zutara is growing ever closer! Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Crystal Inferno:** Hello there again! I'm glad you find my newest Zutara story promising! I was hoping for that much! I'm looking forward to writing more of it—the Zutara goodness is yet to come, but it will be awesome! And thank you for once again commenting on my in-characterness! Always a great thing to hear! Thanks so much mon ami!

**ML7:** Hello my friend! Thanks for your kind review! Well…as you can see from this chapter, you have yet to find out what the ball will be like. You'll get a taste in the next chapter, but the fourth chapter of this story is really the one in which the Zutara goodness begins! But it's fun setting it up and describing all their costumes…what did you think, by the way? They're not phony, are they? I defiantly tried to keep everyone's costumes symbolical:

Azula = War = she's helping her dad carry out the largest war the world's ever seen

Zuko = Sun = the source in which all firebending is drawn, also a hopeful symbol of a new dawn or new beginning

Katara = Moon = the source of all waterbending, a symbol of peace, serenity, and the Sun's constant companion in their orbital cosmic dance

Sokka = Half-happy-half-sad-man (LOL!) = His moods can shift either way, and it reflects Sokka's funny nature

Aang = Pauper = well, being raised by nomad monks, I can't expect him to be rich or anything, and he kind of gets duped in this story (it is Zutara, after all)

Thanks again, my friend!

**Handerra:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and please let me know if you liked this one as well! Thanks again!

**ZutaraXD:** Wow! Thanks for being so enthusiastic about my story—that shows me that you must really, really like it! I'm flattered—thank you! Sorry for the very not-immediate update—please forgive me and my busy life! I hope you liked this chapter as much as the last—keep on waiting for the Zutara goodness! Thanks again!

**Hellokitty95:** Thank you for your kind review and compliments! I appreciate them so much! I hope you're enjoying the path I'm taking the characters down, so please review and tell me! Thanks so much!

**StoryLover44:** Thank you for your generous compliments and Xmas wishes! (Merry late Christmas to you as well! And Happy New Years!) I hope you like this chapter as much as the last. Don't worry—not too long and we will be basking in the Zutara goodness that was meant to be! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Isobel Stevens:** Hello there again! LOL, I can imagine Ozai doing that too in response to Zuko's reluctance to do as he's told! Teenagers! I hope you liked this chapter as much as the last—please tell me what you thought! Thanks so much for your review! I appreciate it!

**Saranha de Angelo:** I'm glad you liked the way I wrote out the events that need to take place in order to ensure the ultimate in Zutara goodness! That means, mostly, getting Mai out of the picture—but that wasn't too hard, since she was the perfect character to completely refuse to go with Zuko to a ball! It's still in character! Thanks so much for your consistent, kind, and wonderful compliments! You make me smile! Thanks again!

**MeatSarcasm-Guy:** Thanks so much for another review! I appreciate it very much, especially with this story being so newborn and all. I hope you liked this chapter as much (or more!) than the last. Zuko's social awkwardness and angst will continue! Thanks so much!

**Kyasarin-freakload:** Thank you for your compliments! I'm sorry I had to keep you waiting—my life is very busy all of a sudden! Please forgive my lack of update-promptness! And please—tell me what you think of this chapter! Thanks again!


	3. The Masquerade

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar! *cries*

**Author's Note:** Yay! Another chapter! It's terribly late, but please…Read and _**review**_ anyway!

* * *

**CHAPTHER THREE: THE MASQUERADE**

* * *

Zuko peeked through the curtain that separated his lonely corridor from the grand ball room. He watched silently, like a hawk perched upon a lofty tree, as the first guests began to file in. The Fire Nation Prince sighed heavily.

Tonight was the night of the Royal Masquerade Ball. Despite all his hoping and praying, the night that had terrified him so much the last few days had swooped upon him. Now he was busy praying that this time would pass quickly and that he could resume his role of a respectable Prince of the Fire Nation instead of parading about ridiculously at a dance. As he watched more guests enter the giant chamber and the last servants hastily prepare for the event, Zuko suddenly found that scene growing and shifting in front of him incredibly boring and snapped shut the curtain.

The Prince stalked up the corridor to the royal dressing rooms, where Azula was standing statuesquely on a short stood while several seamstresses and servants fluttered about her like flies. Every once in a while the Princess would swat one of them away and bark out orders for them to busy themselves elsewhere. As the bodies shuffled around her, working to complete her elaborate costume in time, Azula noticed the shadow of her brother reflecting on the mirror. She turned her head and glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Zuko, you're already dressed! I'm so pleased to see you're excited for the Masquerade," she marveled sarcastically.

Zuko looked down at his gleaming gold costume. He'd made sure to dress early because he'd known that Azula would occupy the entire dressing room for some time with her own costume. His eyes flickered towards his reflection in the mirror, and once again the Prince had to look twice to remind himself that the golden likeness there was actually himself. He was still too proud to admit to his sister that he'd actually grown somewhat fond of the way he looked in his magnificent golden armor. To mask his feelings, Zuko hastily clamped his mask over his face and head, and then scowled at his sister.

"You know that I'm not excited in the least, Azula." He insisted, leaning up against the wall next to the dressing room door.

The Prince's voice had some bite in it, and Azula sensed it and shot him a dagger-like stare. Zuko returned it a thousand times sharper, but then the Princess smiled slyly at him. She swatted the last of the servants away from her and gracefully stepped down from her lofty perch and sauntered towards her sulking brother.

"You never know—maybe you'll be asked to dance," she teased. "I know how much you like dancing."

Zuko threw another sharp glance at his sister. "I might hate dancing, but at least _I'm_ good at it," he muttered in protest.

Azula rolled her eyes, then turned around and leaned close to one of the many tall mirrors in the room, inspecting her make up. When she found that it was to her satisfaction, she leaned back and rolled her eyes at Zuko one more time.

"It figures that the one thing you hate most is the only thing you're better than me at doing," she sighed heavily. "Well, shall we?"

Zuko reluctantly nodded and moved to trod out the door towards the ball room, when suddenly a brightly-clad, masked figure burst in. This one was followed by a much bigger, bulkier, and uglier body. The Prince blinked as the first figure skipped merrily up to a semi-surprised Azula and waved enthusiastically in the Princess's face.

"Azula! Guess who?"

From behind the mask came the delighted voice that both royal siblings recognized, but the person hiding behind it didn't give either one of them a chance to react. The beaming face of Ty Lee emerged from behind the mask, and she smiled towards her friend.

Azula smiled a small smile. "Ty Lee—it's great to see you. But isn't the point of a masquerade to _conceal_ your identity?"

"Oh, I would never want to conceal my identity from you, Azula!" Chirped the other girl. "Besides, you're so smart—you'd probably figure out it was me in no time!"

"Ah. I see," Azula blinked at the oafish counterpart that had followed Ty Lee into the room. "Who's that?"

Ty Lee immediately twirled and fluttered beside the larger figure, who took off his mask. It was a boy that neither Azula or Zuko could recognize, but he had a strong, chiseled, overly-handsome face and muscles bulging from underneath his costume. Ty Lee pawed at the boy's arm affectionately.

"This is Qin. He's my date!" The excited girl held up her mask and encouraged Qin to display his as well. "Guess what we're going as?"

Zuko rolled his eyes from behind the happy couple while Azula carefully studied their costumes. The Princess held her hand up to her lips as her dangerously narrowed eyes darted from Ty Lee to Qin and back again.

Ty Lee was wearing a very pink, very controversial dress. It featured a low collar that showed a considerable amount of the young woman's ample cleavage, and from his position, Zuko could see her date oogling at it hungrily. The back of the girl's dress was cut even lower, adding to the costume's promiscuity. The gown extended gracefully to the floor, with a small slit stretching from the hem to just above Ty Lee's knees, giving her a chance to show off more than just her chest. Her mask was a delicate porcelain face of a beautiful young lady, with blushed cheeks and plush red lips.

Ty Lee's counterpart was her opposite in costume as well as in bulk. Qin's costume consisted mostly of scraps of browned, aged fabric and fur bits sewn together to form a modest tunic and pants. His mask was a grotesquely carved, monstrous-looking thing, with a gaping mouth complete with ivory fangs jutting out from the jaw. Matching horns protruded from the mask's brow, giving Qin the overall appearance of some massive beast.

The idea flickered in Zuko's mind like dim candlelight, but he went ahead and let what he was thinking roll off his tongue for once.

"You're Beauty and the Beast," he concluded, remembering the popular fairy tale, and both Ty Lee and Qin spun around to regard him.

Ty Lee peeked out from behind her mask and blinked at the Prince. "Wow, Zuko—you're pretty good! That's right!"

Zuko's gaze wavered momentarily past the excited girl and her muscle-bound companion towards his sister, who was glaring at him—obviously angered that he'd guessed their friend's disguise before she had. Zuko offered her a small smirk in return.

When he looked back at Ty Lee, she'd suddenly closed in on him and was busy admiring the costume he was wearing. "Wow—" she said in awe. "Zuko, you look _so_ handsome! Your costume is amazing—but what are you?"

"The Sun," Zuko muttered, unimpressed by his own choice. The costume looked better than it sounded, but Ty Lee clasped her hands together in delight.

"The Sun! Of course!" cried the girl. "Wow—but—where's Mai?"

"Mai didn't want to come," Azula informed her friend matter-of-factly, successfully regaining the attention away from Zuko. "She doesn't like things like this."

Ty Lee's beaming smile momentarily wavered. "Oh, well that's too bad." She whirled around to face Zuko once more. "But I'm sure you'll get _plenty_ of girls asking you to dance in that costume, Zuko!"

The Prince blinked in surprise as the pink-clad girl grinned widely and then went on admiring Azula's dark, terrifying outfit, attempting to figure out what it was. Sure—Zuko had admitted to himself that he looked pretty good in this shining armor, and even his sister had admitted the same thing—but now he was suddenly dashing enough for girls to want to ask him to dance? And plenty of them? Zuko might have seriously underestimated his appearance.

_But that was coming from Ty Lee, _he reminded himself silently. _She's honest enough, but she's also not the brightest flame in the fire._

The Prince turned his thoughts and his eyes back to the three figures in front of him, watching them interact intently.

"Wow, Azula!" exclaimed Ty Lee once more. "You look beautiful and elegant, but also scary in a good way!"

"Thank you," replied the Princess. "I'm going as War."

"War? Ooooh…"

"Zuko was a poor sport and didn't want to be my opposite as Peace," Azula added, flashing a white, evil grin at her brother from across the room.

Zuko's eyes flared in annoyance. "That costume was stupid," he defended, crossing his arms as best as he could with the large, metal gauntlets covering his forearms. "Besides, I seem to be getting a lot of compliments on my choice of costume."

Azula frowned at him and then rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore his remark. "Well, then—come on! The masquerade will start without us."

She waved Ty Lee and her giant date out of the dressing room with her hands, as if she were herding some sort of animal. Glancing at Zuko, she gestured for him to follow behind the three of them, and the group of Fire Nation youths placed their masks firmly in place and walked briskly down the brightly lit corridor towards the royal ball room. Azula threw back the curtain dramatically, revealing her terrifyingly beautiful visage to those already inside. The Princess casually reached inside her wide, red obi belt and pulled a large fan. She fluttered it gently; the feathers poking out from her piled hair waved in the gentle breeze.

Ty Lee and Qin stepped gingerly through the door, and took in their surroundings. Candles were everywhere—set atop the tables piled high with food, hung from chandeliers high above the dance floor, and displayed atop delicate brass candelabras set in various places around the room. The entire room seemed to flicker like one collective flame. The mood was perfect for a dance filled with a host of mysterious masked people. Ty Lee gasped in delight and quickly pulled her date onto the floor as the first song was struck up by the band, hidden in the corner. Only the lead singer was visible in the dim light.

Zuko stepped out last, and reluctantly. His eyes flickered thoughtfully about him, and he observed the multitude of bodies already festively dancing. Various others were gathered near the tables full of food; still more were still entering through the main entrance of the Fire Nation Palace. All of them were clad in elaborate costumes from head to foot, complete with masks. The Prince frowned and wondered where his place would be for the remainder of the night.

He felt a hand on his shoulder suddenly, and spun around to face his sister.

For once, Azula offered Zuko a smile that was half-genuine. "Hey," she told him with very little venom poisoning her voice. "Try and enjoy yourself, okay?"

Zuko didn't answer, but nodded slowly. He watched as the first of Azula's admirers climbed the staircase to the platform they stood upon, bravely touched the Princess's arm, and asked her shyly for a dance. His sister turned and regarded the boy curiously—he was dressed as a warrior of some sort—and seemed to approve and accept his advance. She took his arm and lead him away, leaving Zuko alone.

The Prince was tempted to spin around, take a few steps, and retreat back into the safety and comfort behind the curtain and into the corridors beyond. But instead he descended the staircase, his eyes flickering left and right, searching for someplace dark to lurk until he worked up the courage to talk to someone. Zuko desperately wished that Mai had agreed to come with him, and he felt a twinge of anger fester in his heart at her refusal to accompany him. He wouldn't be in this predicament—alone at one of the largest social events of the year—if it weren't for her refusal.

Frowning, Zuko stomped across the dance floor to a place that was hidden from the flickering light of the candles—where his glittering costume wouldn't draw too much attention—and where he could watch the party unfold without disturbance.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"I can't believe we're about to infiltrate the Fire Nation Palace dressed as a Pauper, the Moon, and—well—whatever Sokka is."

"I'm Happy and Sad, for the last time already!"

Katara watched and rolled her eyes as the two boys squabbled in front of her. Finally, she got sick of it, and swatted the two boys apart with her hands. "Listen, you guys—don't make a scene, alright! I'm already nervous about doing this."

The three teenagers were waiting across the courtyard from the Fire Nation Palace, watching as other, small dark figures crossed in front of them towards the large, open, and inviting door at the front of the palace. They were all fully dressed, only daring to peek out from behind their masks to speak to one another. Katara was excited at first, but as soon as the Fire Nation Palace came into view her anxiousness had sprung to life—and she began to wonder if this was actually a good idea. But there was no turning back now—especially with an over-excited Sokka egging her on.

"Katara, relax! Whose going to recognize us?" Sokka said casually, waving his hand and placing his mask over his face. "We're perfectly safe."

"Yeah, but what about Azula and Zuko?" Aang echoed Katara's worrisome thoughts. "They live in the Fire Nation Palace; don't you think they'd attend their own dance? What if the Fire Lord himself is there?"

"Then Katara should ask him for a dance," Sokka jeered, laughing as his sister's jaw dropped. "Listen, you two—Aang is still safe because the world still believes that he's dead. No one will be looking for him. As for Katara and I, we'll be masked, in costume, and mingling among hundreds of other guests—what are the chances that they'd discover us?"

Katara eyed her brother curiously, and then frowned. "You know," she said matter-of-factly. "For a guy who was dead set against this plan when we first mentioned it, you're awfully excited about it now."

"It grew on me," Sokka replied briefly, shrugging his black and white shoulders.

Aang leaned over and whispered playfully in Katara's ear. "I think he means that the idea of dancing with a bunch of girls grew on him," he said, and the waterbender giggled, a sound that was rewarding to the young Avatar.

"Come on, let's go!" Sokka urged, stepping forward into the courtyard and gesturing for Aang and Katara to follow him. "The more time we spend at the dance, the longer we have to observe the Fire Lord's surroundings."

"And the more time he can spend gawking at pretty girls," Katara whispered to Aang.

The two benders laughed, then obediently followed the older boy across the courtyard. They crossed through the cobblestone paths and avoided stepping through the gardens that bloomed with various types of flowers and sweet-smelling plants. Katara sucked in the perfumed air and watched as the glowing orange outline of the open palace door grew nearer. Finally, the trio reached the palace entrance and was joined by several other elaborately-dressed guests and a pair of Fire Nation guards.

"Tickets please," one of the guards requested as Katara, Aang, and Sokka stepped close to the door.

Katara stared up at the face hidden by that terrifyingly familiar masked helmet. It was so strange hearing a polite, friendly request come from inside that mask when the three had been chased, captured, or otherwise by others dressed exactly the same. The waterbender reminded herself that all three of them were wearing masks and were unrecognizable to the firebending guards. She smiled kindly and handed the guard their three tickets.

The guard inspected each ticket closely, then nodded in approval. "The Fire Lord and his family welcome you," he said warmly as the three teens stepped inside the ball room.

Instantly, Katara's breath was taken away by the sheer beauty and vastness of the space. The entire, huge room was lit with candles—shadows flickered and danced everywhere—among the large stone pillars surrounding the dance floor, in doorways, and among the dancers. Music was playing in the background and echoed against the high ceiling and immense stone walls. Accenting the room were subtle details identifying it as Fire Nation—the Fire Nation insignia carved into the crown molding at every corner, the huge tapestries displayed on the far wall depicting past Fire Lords, and the characteristic color palette of reds, crimsons, and maroons.

"Wow," Aang said quietly, as he gazed up in wonder at the high ceiling. "It's actually beautiful."

"Aang, don't say that!" Sokka hissed. "This is where the meanest man on the planet grew up!"

"Obviously it didn't have to do with the decorating, Sokka." Katara cut in, crossing her arms in front of her chest disapprovingly. "Don't you have dozens of ladies to check out now that you're here?"

"Stop it!"

Aang laughed. "Good one, Katara!"

Katara smiled heartily, and Sokka wrung and arm around each bender's neck gently, pulling them group into a sort of huddle. "Okay, despite what Katara thinks I'm still here to get an edge on the Fire Lord. We need to be looking for doors, windows, or other entrances that can lead deeper into the palace, but stay in this room. We can't have anyone get lost in a place like this."

Katara and Aang glanced at each other through their masks, nodded at the older boy, and the group separated. They all turned and glanced onto the vast dance floor, which was flooded with couples dancing gracefully to the rhythm of the music. All three of the teenagers gulped, and Sokka scratched the back of his head.

"So…" said the boy to the others, who watched him curiously. "Now what?"

* * *

**PERSONAL THINGY:**

I'm sorry the ending is absolutely, irrevocably, terribly terrible! I just couldn't write anymore and I needed to end somewhere! But you can bet your life's savings that in the next chapter the Zutaraian goodness will commence! DRUM ROLL PLEASE….


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